Garden Variety

After one of the longest winters in recent memory, spring has finally arrived here in Rochester! I was starting to go a bit stir crazy, so I'm relieved the weather has finally warmed up and things are starting to bloom. But when the temperatures were still frigid, I paid a long-overdue visit to the Buffalo and Erie Botanical Gardens on a gross and rainy day. What a beautiful escape it was! I can't believe I had never been to these gardens before. They had a bunch of different rooms, each more lush than the next. I couldn't even pick a favorite!

This place served as the perfect backdrop for this Dolly and Dotty floral dress. This Elizabeth style fits really nicely and due to the fabric's stretch, it was surprisingly comfortable. And the print is so pretty close up. It's currently on sale (and almost sold out!) for a steal. They also carry a beautiful long-sleeved dress in this same print. I've had such good luck with their dresses -- they're a lot better for everyday wear than some of my other pieces but are easy to dress up when needed.

I'm really relieved the weather is finally nice again. But even so, I have to admit that I'm struggling a lot lately. I've been trying to make some adjustments in my personal life to prioritize self-care, but I'm still having a really hard time (and have been for a while). I'm impatient by nature, which makes it hard for me to accept that things aren't just going to magically improve overnight. And I have to remember that making significant changes is really hard and to not beat myself up over it. I guess I just keep hoping that the change in seasons will bring about a change in myself... and who knows, maybe it will.

Outfit Details

Elizabeth Floral Dress: c/o Dolly and Dotty

Hair flower: similar  ||  Flats: Amazon

Have a great rest of your week!

Friday Favorites #153

Hi friends! I know, I know... it's been a while (AGAIN) since I posted a Friday Favorites. I'm trying to get back in the swing of blogging, so I finally made time to put this one together. Here's what I've been lusting after lately...

Who else is OBSESSED with the Unique Vintage x Barbie collection? It was literally my childhood DREAM to have my dolls' outfits in my own size and now I actually can! These two pieces are my favorites from the range. I'm secretly hoping they come out with more in the future.

a     ||     b

Do I need this Bettie Page pin?

How cute are these gingham sandals?

And I'm pinching myself over these little lobster purses:

a   ||   b   ||   c

Should I get this Sebastian pool float for summertime?

This ASOS swimsuit is right up my alley:

This might be the prettiest water bottle I've ever seen.

These peach dresses are so dreamy:

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This Minnie purse is the perfect shade of millennial pink!

I'm dying over this pastel yellow poodle print dress:

And finally, this Kate Spade strawberry purse might be my favorite thing ever.

Have a great weekend!

Is It Spring Yet?

It may technically be spring here in the Northern Hemisphere, but you wouldn't know it from the weather forecast. We've had cold temperatures, ice storms, and even snow in the past couple of weeks. It's really a bummer because I'm dying for everything to be in bloom. Until it starts to warm up, I'm trying to wear as many springy prints as possible.

This Heart of Haute dress is undeniably springy and cheerful. This "Amanda" style is one I'd never tried before and it's great for layering. It also comes with a matching fabric tie belt, which is always a nice feature. I went all out for Easter with the styling on this, but it's really a versatile piece that'll be light and breezy for the months ahead. 

Outfit Details

Amanda Dress in Blue Skies print: c/o Heart of Haute

Vintage hat: similar  ||  Wedge sandals: Chase and Chloe

Cropped yellow cardigan: available here

Fingers crossed it gets nice this weekend!

Spring Cleaning: Shop My Closet Update!

It's finally spring and my closet is overflowing with dresses that simply aren't getting enough love... so I thought it was high time I did another massive update to my Shop My Closet store! I've got a bunch of new pieces up for grabs in sizes M-XL, many of them barely worn! I've also reduced the prices of everything else that's been sitting around for a while. At this point, I'd really like to get the clutter out (and give you all a bargain in the process)! Here's just a small sampling of what you'll find...

Sadly, I can't offer discounts anymore because Storenvy doesn't allow them unless I pay a monthly fee. I tried to make up for it by pricing everything really reasonably. I'm sure there will be more to come soon, but this was all I could get through in a short amount of time. :) So get to shopping and snag yourself some pretties! Head on over to my shop here.

Have a great weekend!

Hoppy Easter!

Wowza, it's been WAY too long since I posted here on my blog. To be honest, things have been kind of tough lately and I haven't even had the energy to edit photos. But since Easter is almost here, I had *hop by* and highlight this pastel perfection from Pastello Dresses.

I'd been a long-time fan of Victoria's since I found her on Instagram (her own vintage dress collection is one for the books!) and was super excited when she started selling vintage pieces a while back. Now, she actually makes a lot of her own dresses out of vintage fabrics. It can be really tough to find the style of dresses I like in larger sizes, which is why I'm so glad she has been making an effort to create them. I thought I'd have no chance of finding a pastel plaid beauty in my size that I could actually afford, so I was thrilled when this one popped up. I've purchased three dresses from her now and have been delighted with every one. Of course, I had to pair this with a cropped lavender cardigan and my adorable chocolate bunny brooch by Kate Gabrielle!

Passover and Easter actually bookend this weekend, so I'll be eating lotsa matzah on tonight and chowing down on jelly beans and chocolate on Sunday. Since Saturday is supposed to be nice, I hope I can spend some time outside! The snow is FINALLY melting and I can feel spring is in the air... I just wish it would hurry up and get here!

Outfit Details

Dress: Pastello Dresses

Cardigan: available here

Bunny brooch: Kate Gabrielle

Shoes: B.A.I.T. Footwear (similar)

Have a hoppy Holiday!

Jack and Sally

It may be March 1st, but snow is in the forecast for tonight (after a couple of very spring-like days!). Winter isn't over quite yet, which I'm not so thrilled about – but it does give me the chance to wear this Nightmare Before Christmas-inspired dress! Then again, I can wear this fantastic frock at virtually any time of year. With amazing artwork by John Varvir, this halter-style number will be getting tons of wear. I decided to style it in a wintery way for these photos, but I can't wait to wear it TONS next Halloween and Christmas.

This dress has convertible straps, so it can be worn in the traditional halter style or in a criss-cross pattern around the front. It's also boned to hold its shape and fits like a glove. I'm always excited by Jackie's designs, but I cannot wait to wear this to Disney World next year for my birthday! (Did I mention my mom and I are going right before Halloween?)

Outfit Details

Halter dress: c/o Vintage Inspired By Jackie

Faux fur shawl: similar

Brooch: Femme de Bloom

Heels: Irregular Choice

Have a great rest of your week!